


Endearment

by miss_aligned



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mass Effect 1, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-12 18:15:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7117162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_aligned/pseuds/miss_aligned
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the flight of their lives from the Citadel to intercept Saren, everyone on the Normandy is on edge and preparing for the worst. The stressful situation causes a little slip-up that no one saw coming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Endearment

“I really hope I don’t regret this later,” Shepard said as she paced quickly at the rear of the cockpit.

“A little late for that, don’t you think?” Joker was concentrating on getting the Normandy out and away from the Citadel as quickly as possible, but that didn’t mean he’d let the chance for a wisecrack pass him by.

“Yeah, yeah. Just get us out of here, Joker.” The commander’s eyes darted from display to display, anxious to know whether they were going to be followed, stopped, or shot down from Citadel space. It wasn’t every day that a ship was stolen from being grounded in the very hub of the galaxy’s civilization, after all. If they managed to pull this off, it was going to be a miracle that would likely have trickle-down effects that would come back to bite her soon.

“So far, no one’s caught on to the fact that we just took off without authorization,” the helmsman responded, his focus moving smoothly from screen to screen as he made lightning-fast adjustments with practiced grace and fluidity. It was truly an impressive feat and he handled it like second nature.

“I’m not sure I want to know how Anderson managed this,” Shepard mused aloud. She worried that he’d done something reckless or stupid, but ultimately understood that if he hadn’t taken the risk, the entire galaxy was in danger. It was her duty to make what was probably the sacrifice of his career worthwhile. She just had to stop Saren and return to somehow clear the captain of wrongdoing. Easier said than done on both accounts.

Shepard stepped forward and pressed a command into the intercom console, curious to see how things were going elsewhere amongst the crew.

“Adams, how are things holding up down there?”

The engineer quickly replied with a strange giddiness in his tone that Shepard hadn’t ever heard before. “All’s well, Commander. She’s performing even better than expected.”

Shepard swore she could hear Tali babbling excitedly in the background. “Good to hear.” She tapped again on the console to access another part of the ship. “Garrus, all clear?”

“Seems so, Shepard. We’re ready for anything,” the turian confidently responded. The low chuckle she heard could only belong to an amused Wrex. Knowing the two of them, they were all suited up and prepared for a fight.

Another quick press of the intercom controls accessed a third contact. “Lieutenant, any word from Anderson?”

“Ahh…” Kaidan answered, clearly concentrating on something other than talking at that moment. “He was helping me jam signals and communications up until a few minutes ago, Commander. I think he may be out of commission now.”

“Damn,” came Shepard’s quiet reply. She desperately hoped that they’d go easy on the captain, but that would all depend on what, exactly, he’d done in order to free the Normandy. This was likely going to get uglier before its conclusion. She sighed heavily and tried to focus on what she’d have to do to end this fight once and for all.

“It was necessary, Commander. It will all make sense to them eventually,” Kaidan reassured her. Though he was undoubtedly wrapped up in what he was doing, she couldn’t help but feel a bit of relief that he supported the decision that rightfully spelled disaster for their careers. She didn’t mind taking the risk herself, but for Kaidan and the rest of the Alliance-based crew, there was a ball of despair, fear, and regret sitting in the pit of her stomach.

“Let’s hope so,” she quietly responded.

“Another few minutes and there won’t be a ship in the galaxy that can hope to catch us,” Joker rather proudly exclaimed. “Well, Sovereign, maybe.”

“Helpful, Joker,” Shepard smirked and turned her attention back to the intercom transmission. “Thank you, Lieutenant. Keep doing what you can to keep us off of the radar. It’s a long way to Ilos.”

“Stay safe, Commander,” Kaidan responded. He seemed to know that she was planning to hit Saren full-force, with anything and everything she had. She couldn’t help but notice how alarmingly perceptive he was at times.

“I’ll do my best.”

“I love you.”

Shepard froze. Her cheeks flushed bright red as a cough rang out over the intercom. Though she didn’t dare look in Joker’s direction, she knew that his head had already snapped around and there was likely incredible glee written across his features.

“I mean… I mean ‘aye, aye.’ Ma’am,” Kaidan was practically yelling his correction over the comms. He growled his frustration at the slip-up before she heard him scramble to cut the connection to the cockpit.

Shepard closed her eyes for a moment, simultaneously thrilled to hear the words because she knew he’d spoken them honestly, even if mistakenly, and also horrified that a secret had been spilled in front of Joker of all people.

The helmsman would have turned his seat completely around to haze her, she knew, if they weren’t currently in the flight of their lives. Instead, he dutifully kept at the controls. She heard his sharp intake of breath, knowing he was about to unleash the mother of all mocking tirades.

“Not. A. Word. Joker.” Her tone was authoritative and did not leave room for any argument.

His open jaw snapped closed and he shook his head while no doubt trying to swallow his epic jokes at her expense. He dared to glance her way for a moment as he continued the unprecedented flight of the Normandy from the Citadel to Ilos, but seemed to take note of the threatening fire in her eyes… the intensity of which likely matched the heat in her cheeks.

Shepard ran her hands through her hair as she tried to clear her head. She was going to have to intercept the lieutenant before he attempted to launch himself out the airlock. Still, she was elated and vaguely terrified about what he’d said. His words mirrored the feelings she had yet to admit herself. They were going to have to discuss this. Later. Over dinner? Or wine? Or amidst breathless kisses, maybe?

“Wow.” Joker finally said, unable to keep to himself, apparently.

“Don’t,” the commander warned him. “We just stole an Alliance ship and are probably on the way to our doom. There are bigger things to worry about than… that.”

Joker laughed, but continued propelling the frigate through space with alarming speed and agility. “Okay, okay. But you’d better go check on him before he dies of embarrassment.”


End file.
